Fox Island's Graduate Course in Gunkholing
To quote from the Well-Favored Passage, page 49, "We rate Fox Island Harbour the most difficult to locate and approach that we have experienced in the North Channel." Guess where Nellie went today... Yup ;-)
The lower line in the photo above shows Nellie's path into Fox Harbour. Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones willing to dodge rocks. Six other boats had beaten us to the punch. So much for solitude. Rather than settle with the herd we elected to move on.
While heading north along Fox Island we read about another anchorage called Eye of the Fox. It's review included this, "... only for the more adventurous small boat." Heck, we're adventurous, but what's a small boat? (You can see our trail into the Eye of the Fox in the photo above, it's descending from the upper left.)
With Bicki on the bow as a lookout, we crept ever so slowly towards the 25' wide opening into the Eye. The lookout always points towards danger so the helmsman can concentrate on steering away from it. Passing through the entrance Bicki's arm looked like a windmill in a hurricane--there was danger everywhere.
Once in we anchored and used the dinghy to check the pond's water depths. It was mostly shoal. The only good water was where we were.
Eye of the Fox is the smallest anchorage we've ever been in, it's definitely the best protected and, we were alone. Perfect right? Actually, no. Having gotten in, we were now worried about getting out.
No sense in putting things off. Up came the anchor. We assumed our positions. And, Nellie slowly and carefully slid out of the eye.
My lesson learned? May you get what you want, and want what you get.
Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island to Mosquito Cove, Great La Cloche Island
Today's expected short trip got rather longer, 36 miles in all, after we balked at the first two anchorages. Tonight's anchorage on Great La Cloche is huge and we're happy to be sharing it with only two boats. Nellie is now 1530 miles into this year's journey. DBH
